The shrimps are "graceful commensal shrimps", Ancylomenes venustus, but what is/are the coral/anemones that they are on?
The red polyps look like they might be a species of Goniophora, but they have a less regular pattern than other examples I've seen. Also the white tentacles such as the bulb-like tentacle in the lower left of the 3rd clip at 0:26 looks more like something like Entacmaea quadricolor. I'm wondering if there might even be 2 species here mixed???
Tropical Pacific Reef Creature Identification by Humann & DeLoach is no more specifc than "Ancylomenes venustus associates with stony corals and anemones".
I discovered that this is the night anemone, Phyllodiscus semoni. A very interesting anemone with a seriously nasty sting. It mimics stony corals during the day then extends its mouth to feed at night.
I discovered that this is the night anemone, Phyllodiscus semoni. A very interesting anemone with a seriously nasty sting. It mimics stony corals during the day then extends its mouth to feed at night.
That is cool, Nick. Last time I was in Lembeh I dove Police pier with an italian guy that had published a book on dangerous marine creatures, and we where looking for the night anemone there. As far as I understand it, the sting is really quite dangerous and can lead to renal failure. Also, as far as I understand it, it is by night, when it extends its central column to feed, that it is dangerous.
That's right, except Neville Coleman's page says "...it is not the tentacles around this extended mouth, that sting, it’s the fringing ones around the body that do the deed."
There are quite a lot of references from scientists who have researched the venom with a view to using it to help develop new drugs for renal problems.
This species mimics all sorts of different corals. Check out these 2 videos to see how different it can look:
